Renowned Magnum photojournalist McCurry in Greenwich

Published 1:56 pm, Thursday, April 18, 2013

Photo: Contributed Photo

Image 1of/10

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 10

A 30-year retrospective honoring photojournalist Steve McCurry takes place through May 6 at Cavalier Galleries in Greenwich. Above is his "Afghan Girl" for the cover of National Geographic -- one of the magazine's most popular images of all time. less

A 30-year retrospective honoring photojournalist Steve McCurry takes place through May 6 at Cavalier Galleries in Greenwich. Above is his "Afghan Girl" for the cover of National Geographic -- one of the ... more

Photo: Contributed Photo

Image 2 of 10

Above is a 1996 photo of the Holi festival, Rajasthan, India, by photojournalist Steve McCurry, who is having a 30-year retrospective at Cavalier Galleries in Greenwich.

Above is a 1996 photo of the Holi festival, Rajasthan, India, by photojournalist Steve McCurry, who is having a 30-year retrospective at Cavalier Galleries in Greenwich.

Photo: Contributed Photo

Image 3 of 10

Above is photojournalist Steve McCurry's 1983 photo of a dust storm in Rajasthan, India. A 30-year retrospective of his work is on display until May 6 in Greenwich.

Above is photojournalist Steve McCurry's 1983 photo of a dust storm in Rajasthan, India. A 30-year retrospective of his work is on display until May 6 in Greenwich.

Photo: Contributed Photo

Image 4 of 10

Boy in mid-flight, Jodhpur, India, 2007, is by photojournalist Steve McCurry, whose work is on display in Greenwich through May 6.

Boy in mid-flight, Jodhpur, India, 2007, is by photojournalist Steve McCurry, whose work is on display in Greenwich through May 6.

Photo: Contributed Photo

Image 5 of 10

Flower Seller, Dal Lake, Srinagar, Kashmir, 1996, is by photojournalist Steve McCurry, who is being honored with an exhibition in Greenwich.

Flower Seller, Dal Lake, Srinagar, Kashmir, 1996, is by photojournalist Steve McCurry, who is being honored with an exhibition in Greenwich.

Photo: Contributed Photo

Image 6 of 10

A young girl from the Kara Tribe, Omo Valley, Ethiopia, 2012, is shown "running into the sunset," a photo by Steve McCurry, whose retrospective is on view in Greenwich.

A young girl from the Kara Tribe, Omo Valley, Ethiopia, 2012, is shown "running into the sunset," a photo by Steve McCurry, whose retrospective is on view in Greenwich.

Photo: Contributed Photo

Image 7 of 10

This iconic photograph of India is by photojournalist Steve McCurry, who is being honored with an exhibition in Greenwich.

This iconic photograph of India is by photojournalist Steve McCurry, who is being honored with an exhibition in Greenwich.

Photo: Contributed Photo

Image 8 of 10

Shaolin monks training, in Zhengzhou, China, 2004, is by photojournalist Steve McCurry, who is being honored with an exhibition in Greenwich.

Shaolin monks training, in Zhengzhou, China, 2004, is by photojournalist Steve McCurry, who is being honored with an exhibition in Greenwich.

Photo: Contributed Photo

Image 9 of 10

Jodhpur, India, 2010, is by photojournalist Steve McCurry, who is being honored with an exhibition in Greenwich.

Jodhpur, India, 2010, is by photojournalist Steve McCurry, who is being honored with an exhibition in Greenwich.

Photo: Contributed Photo

Image 10 of 10

Renowned Magnum photojournalist McCurry in Greenwich

1 / 10

Back to Gallery

For decades, photojournalist Steve McCurry has been traveling the world to document the human experience in all its beauty, chaos, diversity and struggle -- a mission to which he remains committed.

Many of his magazine photos have become iconic, such as "Afghan Girl" (National Geographic, June 1985), with stunning, penetrating eyes who he photographed in a refugee camp near Peshawar, Pakistan. That image was subsequently named as "the most recognized photograph" in the history of National Geographic and has been frequently used on Amnesty International brochures, posters and calendars.

In celebration of his life's work, Cavalier Galleries in Greenwich has mounted a 30-year retrospective that runs through May 6. Born in 1950 in Philadelphia, he graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 1974. Following a two-year stint on the staff of Today's Post newspaper in King of Prussia, Pa., he decided to leave for India to freelance -- and his exceptional career was launched. His awards are abundant, his travels legendary (recounted in several books); stevemccurry.com.

Although McCurry was on assignment in Italy last week, he answered a few of our questions by email.

More Information

Q: On your website, you are quoted as saying that: "Photography and travel really go hand in hand." Why is that?

A: I've always been driven by a need to explore and wander, and photography for me is the perfect companion to that need. I find that the only way to really understand life from someone else's point of view is to step into their place, both figuratively and literally. There is no substitute for walking with a person in their home to understand what life is really like for these people.

Experiencing different cultures is sure to make you more attuned and have greater insight into people and their surroundings. It helps to establish a relationship between yourself and your subject because by experiencing their culture, you are gaining an understanding of a big part of who they are. ... I make an effort to see and relate to my subjects as real people. If you can do that, you begin to build some level of rapport with them, and you'll find people really respond to that. There's no mystery or trick to it, aside from being respectful and open.

Q: Are you still "savoring the world" with the same level of passion for photography and globe trotting as you had when you first started?

A: I'm driven by an insatiable curiosity about the world around me. I think being inquisitive about life and things around you is an essential part of being a good photographer -- curiosity and a sensitive eye go hand in hand, and are how you keep yourself open to new experiences you might otherwise walk right past. When you do what you love, it just sustains itself and I can't imagine how that would ever diminish.

Q: What is it that you want your portraits to covey ... and what about the landscapes that, although large in character, have us focus on the individual?

A: Most of my images are grounded in people. I look for that unguarded moment, where the essential soul is peeking out, and try to convey some part of what it is like to be that person, or in a broader sense, to relate their life to the human experience as a whole. We humans connect to one another via eye contact -- there is a real power in that shared moment of attention, when you catch a glimpse of what it must be like to be in their shoes. I think this is one of the most powerful things about photography, to relate that sensation.

Q: To be a part of Magnum, is to be with legends. What has this affiliation meant to you? (Magnum Photos is a renowned cooperative that was founded after World War II; he became a full member in 1991.)

Q: You are the founder of ImagineAsia, a nonprofit organization to help Afghan students. Why?

A: Afghanistan has been one of the central and most important stories of my career. I've returned there time and time again over the years. Afghanistan as a whole, and the Bamiyan region in particular, has kind of fallen through the cracks. (We are) providing textbooks and materials for schools to promote education.